"North can become a research and technology powerhouse"

Northern Ontario already has the critical network infrastructure in place to help drive greater involvement and support in advanced research and scientific discovery and perhaps lay the foundation for the north as a research and advanced technology powerhouse.

That's the message ORION is communicating to the provincial government and northern communities, as it welcomed recommendations in the Proposed Growth Plan for Northern Ontario.

The Proposed Growth Plan, released jointly by the Ministries of Northern Development, Mines, and Forestry, and Energy and Infrastructure, calls for greater collaboration in economic development and research, proposing a long-term economic framework to guide decision-making over the next 25 years.

ORION believes the North has several strategic advantages that can help drive its transition to an innovative, knowledge-based economy.

"Some of the most innovative research and advanced technology initiatives are taking place today in our northern communities," says ORION President/CEO Phil Baker. "We are only seeing the beginning of northern-driven innovation and leadership," he says, pointing to success stories with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, and world-leading distance teaching and learning technologies.

"By necessity, the North has developed leadership in strategic areas, and is now at the forefront in fields that are critical to success in emerging advanced technology and knowledge-based sectors," says Maxim Jean Louis, Chair of the ORION Board and President/CEO of Contact North | Contact Nord, Canada's largest distance education and training network with centres in 94 Northern Ontario communities.

ORION extends into 21 communities across Ontario, including Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins and North Bay. Much of ORION's 5,800 kilometres network infrastructure spans northeast and northwest Ontario, bringing world-class research and education connectivity to over 20 institutions, research facilities and school boards in the north. It allows northern institutions to access global resources, do science in new and inventive ways, engage in leading-edge science collaborations, and participate in international "big science" initiatives.

"The North already has the ORION network infrastructure in place, at the cutting-edge of current technology and able to support and help advance these proposals," said Baker. "We are looking forward to sharing detailed feedback on the proposed Growth Plan as part of the government's consultation process, and being fully engaged in this long-term process."

Read the release at www.orion.on.ca/news.


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